Ski binding



March 17,1942. I B. WALKER 2,276,896

SKI BINDING Filed April 2, 1940 E511 o V 5- Patented Mar. 17, 1942 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFIQE SKI BINDING Brooks Walker, Piedmont, Calif.

Application April 2, 1940, Serial No. 327,384

Claims.

This invention pertains to ski bindings and improvements therein. I-Ieretofore ski bindings have consisted of toe plates that are rigidly secured to the skis, and flexible clips or straps that fasten around the ski boot with adjustable means for tensioning these straps. With this form of binding, when a skier takes a bad spill the rigid type binding may break his leg or twist his ankle or knee. To avoid this, applicants structure provides a yieldable release for the toe plates that will let the ski boot out when a force is exerted on the bindings in excess of that needed for controlling the skis in ordinary maneuvers such as climbing, down mountain running, jumping, etc.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan View of the invention showing the one form of ski binding attached to portion of a ski.

Figure 2 shows a side elevation view of the same construction shown in Figure l with a ski boot shown in position.

Figure 3 is a plan view partly cut away, showing the toe plate fastenings.

Figure 4 is a plan view similar to Figure 3, showing the toe plates in open or boot-releasing position.

Figure 5 is a cross section view taken at section 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is similar to Figure 5 but shows an alternate construction with a variable spring loader illustrated.

In all figures, like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts in the drawing.

In Figures 1 to 5 inclusive the ski II) has a binding attached. The binding consists of a pair of toe pieces 20 and 2|. Toe piece 20 is secured to the ski by screws 20A and 203, which go through slots in the toe piece and are secured to the wood of the ski so as to fasten the toe piece 20 rigidly to the ski. The slots and corrugations allow for adjustment to fit the ski boot, suitable corrugated washers under screws 20A and HA meshing with the corrugations in the toe piece, but once the wood screws 20A and 20B are set tight, the toe piece 2|] is fixed to the ski. Toe piece 2i on the other side is fastened to lower pivot plate 22 by machine screws HA and 21B, which preferably screw into pivot plate 22 to fasten toe piece 2| rigidly to said pivot plate when screws 2 IA and 2 IB are tightened.

Fixed plate 25 has holes that fit over the heads of screws 20A and 20B and is rigidly secured to the ski by screws 25A, 25B, and 26. The

heads of screws 2IA and ZIB are free to move relative to fixed plate 25, due to the slots in plate 25 adjacent to the position of screws 2|A and MB when pivot plate 28 is in its closed position. Pivot plate 22 pivots on screw 26 and slides under fixed plate 25, and is urged against stop spacer plate 21 by springs 23, which are so designed as to give the desired preloading on the pivot plate to assure rigidity of the toe plate 2| during normal ski maneuvers, but when an excess load occurs as in a bad fall, when a ski breaks or drives into the snow, etc., said springs will yield and release the ski boot l5 to prevent injury to the skier.

The arch strap I3 is advisable to prevent the loss of the ski down the mountain after a spill that releases the ski from the ski boot.

The tension of the springs can be changed by moving to different holes in the plates 25 and 22, or by using different tension springs, or by suitable variable tension devices, one of which is shown in Figure 6 where spring 43 is in compression to urge pivot plate 22 toward fixed plate 25, and nut 40 adjusts the pull on rod 4| to vary the pro-loading on pivot plate 22 for different ski. requirements.

Spring heel strap l I is of the so-called Candibar type, with first tension clip I2 and variable down hill clip Hi, all of which are more or less conventional. Of course, any type of device may be used to urge the ski boot into the toe plates according to the skiers desires and preference.

The toe strap I! may be used if desired, but should not be so tight as to prevent the pivot plate 22 and toe plate 2| from opening in an emergency. If toe strap I! is not used, toe plate 20 and 2! should slope inwardly slightly to retain the boot sole, or they should have a slight projection above the toe of the ski boot sole like the Dartmouth toe plates in general use.

Of course, other forms of securing the toe plates adjustably to the skis, such as the Precision method of horizontal screw and nut adjustment may be used within the scope of this invention, and I do not wish in any way to limit myself to the exact details or mode of operation set forth in this specification and drawing, for it will be obvious that wide departure may be made in the way of details without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, which is as set forth in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination a ski binding and a ski, said binding including a pair of toe plates, each including a substantially vertical member, one of said toe plates being rigidly secured to said ski, the other toe plate being yieldably urged to a normal position, said vertical member of the movable toe plate being so mounted that it will move outward bodily from end to end on application of excess pressure and returning to said normal position automatically when said excess pressure is removed, the vertical member of said movable toe plate remaining substantially vertical during the outward movement.

2. A pair of toe plates for a ski binding, one of said toe plates being movable relative to said other toe plate in a fixed path, yieldable means for urging said toe plates toward each other, said yieldable means allowing said toe plates to be forced away from each other throughout their length in said fixed path on application of sufficient force, said fixed path being about a pivot whose axis is forward of the front edge of said toe plates and which axis is substantially vertical relative to the normal position of said ski bind- 3. A pair of toe plates for a ski binding, one of said toe plates being secured to a pivot plate, said pivot plate being pivotably secured at a point in front of said other toe plate and yieldable means for urging said plates together, said pivot axis being substantially forward of said toe plates and substantially vertical.

4, A ski, a pair of toe plates, one toe plate secured rigidly to said ski, the second toe plate secured to a pivot plate, said pivot plate being slidably mounted on said ski, so as to move laterally away from said fixed toe plate throughout the length of said second toe plate, yieldable means for urgingsaid last mentioned toe plate toward the first mentioned toe plate, said yieldable means retaining said toe plate in a predetermined position with a predetermined force and returning said movable toe plate to said position after said force has been exceeded and the movable toe plate moved out to the limit of its travel and then the force reduced.

5. A ski, a pair of toe plates, one toe plate secured rigidly to said ski by screws, the other toe plate secured to a pivot plate, said pivot plate being pivotably mounted on said ski, at a point substantially in front of said toe plates yieldable means for urging said last mentioned toe plate toward the first mentioned toe plate, adjustable means to change the position of said rigid toe plate relative to its screws.

BROOKS WALKER.

Patvm Nu. $276,896 Granted March 17. 1 4:! BROOKS WALKER The above entitled patent was extended July 24, 1951, under the provisions of the act. of June 30, 1950, for 6 years and 214 days from the expiration of the original term thereof.

Commissioner of Patents. 

